Before I Let Go

1981 single by Maze

"Before I Let Go"

Single by Maze

from the album Live in New Orleans

B-side

"Golden Time of the Day"^[1]

Released

1981 (1981)

Genre

R&B
soul
funk

Length

3:42 (7" edit)
5:07 (album version)

Label

Capitol

Songwriter(s)

Frankie Beverly^[2]

Producer(s)

Frankie Beverly^[3]

Maze singles chronology

"Running Away"
(1981)

"Before I Let Go"
(1981)

"We Need Love to Live"
(1982)

"Before I Let Go" is a song performed by American R&B band Maze, issued as the second single from the band's fifth album and first live album Live in New Orleans. Although Live in New Orleans is a live album, "Before I Let Go" appears on the album as a studio recording.^[4] Written and produced by lead singer Frankie Beverly,^[2]^[3] the song peaked at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981.^[5]

Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming, and it's the focus of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris's New York Times podcast, Still Processing.^[6]

Chart positions

Chart (1981–2016)^[5]	Peak position
US R&B Singles (Billboard)	13

Beyoncé version

"Before I Let Go"
Single by Beyoncé
from the album Homecoming
Released	April 17, 2019 (2019-04-17)
Recorded	2018–2019
Genre	R&B trap
Length	4:00
Label	Parkwood
Songwriter(s)	Frankie Beverly Larry Blackmon Tomi Jenkins Beyoncé Jerome Temple
Producer(s)	Frankie Beverly Tay Keith Beyoncé

Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming, and included the cover on the accompanying live album. It also includes a sample of New Orleans bounce artist, DJ Jubilee, one of the pioneers of bounce music, recorded on Take Fo' Records. An interpolation of "Candy" by Cameo also runs throughout the song.

Beverly told Billboard that the cover was "one of the high points of (his) life... in a class of its own" and made him "feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there."^[7]

Live performances

In 2023, Beyoncé performed the song during her "Renaissance World Tour".

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[8]	9
Ireland (IRMA)^[9]	71
Lithuania (AGATA)^[10]	47
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)^[11]	90
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[12]	73
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	77
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	65
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[15]	24
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)^[16]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2019)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[17]	69

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)^[18]	Gold	20,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[19]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Before I Let Go – Frankie Beverly,Maze | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ Easlea, Daryl (2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Live In New Orleans". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Maze | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ "Before I Let Go". The New York Times. May 20, 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
^ "Frankie Beverly Responds to Beyonce Covering His Maze Hit 'Before I Let Go'". Billboard. 24 April 2019.
^ "Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Beyoncé". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 26, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201917 into search. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
^ "Beyoncé – Before I Let Go". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
^ "Beyoncé Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
^ "Brazilian single certifications – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
^ "American single certifications – Beyonce – Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 8, 2022.

External links

"Before I Let Go" at AllMusic
"Before I Let Go" at Discogs (list of releases)

Maze

Frankie Beverly

Studio albums

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
Golden Time of Day
Inspiration
Joy and Pain
We Are One
Can't Stop the Love
Silky Soul
Back to Basics

Live albums

Live in New Orleans

Singles

"Before I Let Go"
"Back in Stride"
"Can't Get Over You"

v t e Beyoncé songs
Discography
Dangerously in Love	"Crazy in Love" "Naughty Girl" "Baby Boy" "Me, Myself and I" "The Closer I Get to You" "Dangerously in Love 2" "Daddy"
B'Day	"Déjà Vu" "Get Me Bodied" "Suga Mama" "Upgrade U" "Ring the Alarm" "Kitty Kat" "Freakum Dress" "Green Light" "Irreplaceable" "Resentment" "Listen" "Check on It" "Beautiful Liar / Bello Embustero" "Welcome to Hollywood" "Flaws and All" "Still in Love (Kissing You)" "Amor Gitano"
I Am... Sasha Fierce	"If I Were a Boy" "Halo" "Broken-Hearted Girl" "Ave Maria" "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" "Radio" "Diva" "Sweet Dreams" "Video Phone" "Ego" "Honesty" "Why Don't You Love Me" "Poison"
4	"1+1" "I Care" "I Miss You" "Best Thing I Never Had" "Party" "Rather Die Young" "Start Over" "Love On Top" "Countdown" "End of Time" "I Was Here" "Run the World (Girls)" "Lay Up Under Me" "Schoolin' Life" "Dance for You"
Beyoncé	"Pretty Hurts" "Haunted" "Drunk in Love" "Blow" "No Angel" "Partition" "Jealous" "Rocket" "Mine" "XO" "Flawless" "Superpower" "Heaven" "7/11" "Ring Off" "Standing on the Sun" "Grown Woman"
Lemonade	"Pray You Catch Me" "Hold Up" "Don't Hurt Yourself" "Sorry" "6 Inch" "Daddy Lessons" "Love Drought" "Sandcastles" "Freedom" "All Night" "Formation"
The Lion King: The Gift	"Bigger" "Find Your Way Back" "Brown Skin Girl" "Already" "Spirit" "Black Parade"
Renaissance	"Cozy" "Alien Superstar" "Cuff It" "Energy" "Break My Soul" "Virgo's Groove" "America Has a Problem" "Pure/Honey"
Cowboy Carter	"Blackbiird" "16 Carriages" "Texas Hold 'Em" "Bodyguard" "Jolene" "II Most Wanted"
As featured artist	"'03 Bonnie & Clyde" "Delresto (Echoes)" "Family Feud" "Feeling Myself" "Fighting Temptation" "Hollywood" "Hymn for the Weekend" "I Got That" "Just Stand Up!" "Lift Off" "Love a Woman" "Love in This Club Part II" "Make Me Say It Again, Girl" "Mi Gente" "Part II (On the Run)" "Put It in a Love Song" "Runnin' (Lose It All)" "Savage (Remix)" "Say Yes" "See Me Now" "Shining" "Telephone" "Top Off" "Until the End of Time" "Walk on Water" "What More Can I Give"
Other songs	"A Woman Like Me" "All I Could Do Was Cry" "Apeshit" "At Last" "Back to Black" "Be Alive" "Before I Let Go" "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" "Die with You" "Fever" "God Bless the U.S.A." "I'd Rather Go Blind" "My House" "One Night Only" "Perfect Duet" "Pink + White" "Sexy Lil Thug" "So Amazing" "Sorry Not Sorry" "Summertime" "Wishing on a Star" "Work It Out"
Category

v t e NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song
Song (1971–2015)	"Theme from Shaft" – Isaac Hayes (1971) No Award (1972–1994) "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" – Whitney Houston (1995) "I Believe I Can Fly" – R. Kelly (1996) "A Song for Mama" – Boyz II Men (1997) "Lean on Me" – Kirk Franklin (1998) "Spend My Life with You" – Eric Benét featuring Tamia (1999) "Open My Heart" – Yolanda Adams (2000) "A Woman's Worth" – Alicia Keys (2001) "Brighter Day" – Kirk Franklin (2002) "Dance with My Father" – Luther Vandross (2003) "If I Ain't Got You" – Alicia Keys (2004) "Unbreakable" – Alicia Keys (2005) "I Am Not My Hair" – India Arie (2006) "Like You'll Never See Me Again" – Alicia Keys (2007) "Yes We Can" – will.i.am (2008) "God in Me" – Mary Mary (2009) "Bittersweet" – Fantasia (2010) "I Smile" – Kirk Franklin (2011) "I Look to You" – Whitney Houston and R. Kelly (2012) "All of Me" – John Legend (2013) "We Are Here" – Alicia Keys (2014) "Back Together" – Jill Scott (2015)
Contemporary (2016–2019)	"Freedom" – Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar (2016) "HUMBLE." – Kendrick Lamar (2017) "Boo'd Up" – Ella Mai (2018) "Before I Let Go" – Beyoncé (2019)
Traditional (2016–2019)	"I See Victory" – Kim Burrell and Pharrell Williams (2016) "That's What I Like" – Bruno Mars (2017) "Long as I Live" – Toni Braxton (2018) "Spirit" – Beyoncé (2019)
Soul/R&B (2020–present)	"Do It" – Chloe x Halle (2020) "Pick Up Your Feelings" – Jazmine Sullivan (2021) "Cuff It" – Beyoncé (2022) "ICU (Remix)" – Coco Jones featuring Justin Timberlake (2023)
Hip Hop/Rap (2020–present)	"Savage (Remix)" – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé (2020) "Fye Fye" – Tobe Nwigwe featuring Fat Nwigwe (2021) "Hotel Lobby" – Quavo and Takeoff (2022) "Cobra" – Megan Thee Stallion (2023)
International (2020–present)	"Lockdown" – Original Koffee (2020) "Essence" – Wizkid featuring Tems and Justin Bieber (2021) "No Woman, No Cry" – Tems (2022) "Me & U" – Tems (2023)